Harry Potter and the Missing Years
by elizabethsteele
Summary: This continues on after the 7th book so there will be SPOILERS. Harry is depressed, unsure what to do with his life and needs direction...Harry is given a surprising offer, but will he take it.
1. Chapter 1

It had taken him all summer and he still wasn't over it. It was as though the rest of the wizarding world had gone back to normal and it was he who was insane and not understanding. While the rest of the world was able to move on with their lives, and no longer live in fear anymore. Harry and his friends were left to pick up the pieces.

Hermione was insistent that going back to Hogwarts and finishing off their final year was the best and only option, Ron was happy to go along with Hermione and do what she wished, Ginny would be there too. But Harry, well Harry was not so sure what he wanted anymore, it would have been easier for him to have forgotten everything, to have moved on and pretended like it was all over. Because, Voldemort, he was dead, he was gone and the wizarding community was insistent on Harry knowing it was he who had defeated the darkest wizard that had ever lived. He saw the posters everywhere, "The man who lived, the boy who lived, the 'chosen one', the greatest wizard ever?" He saw the headlines, he knew he was more famous than ever and Harry could not help but wonder about his life before Hogwarts, before he knew he was a wizard, when he just thought he was a freak, he was sure that his life was simpler then, maybe not knowing. He felt like a failure thinking about how he wished he had dodged knowing his destiny. Harry was more appreciative than any other, in the sense that he knew he had defeated evil; he had wanted to defeat him, for seven years that was all he could think about and now that it had happened what was Harry supposed to do?

Sure he could write a million books, go on TV, be a star; he had even been offered a chance to play quidditch professionally, the world was being thrown at him and all he could think about was how empty he felt.

Ginny had tried to cheer him up; she had tried to be the brave one who pretended to understand him. It was true, they were all sad, Fred was dead, George had initially shut down Weasley's Wizard Wheezes but decided that Fred would have wanted to live on; the store was doing better than ever. In fact Diagon Alley was booming, it was busier than ever before and Harry knew it was because for the first time in decades the community felt safe, truly safe. Bill and Fleur were happy, they had a child on the way, Teddy was going to live with his grandmother until she said "Harry was capable", Harry was not quite 18; he didn't feel like he would ever be capable enough to handle a child. Ron and Hermione were so much more at ease with their relationship, Harry had noticed Ron's maturity level reach such a height that Harry felt like an infant, while Ron played father.

"Harry…Harry…HARRY," He heard Ron bellowing from downstairs and thought about going down to see what he was after and decided against it until he heard her voice.

"Harry if you do not get down here right now." He would have once thought it to be Mrs Weasley's but she was far quieter now, more reserved, more depressed. It was Ginny and she was mad, he felt for her he truly did, he wanted to be the hero, hero Harry, the boy who lived, but instead he was the boy who still didn't have his parents, he still didn't have Dumbledore or Sirius.

All he had ever focused on was killing Voldemort, he did not even think about what happened afterwards. Happiness should have spread through his every limb, but instead he was filled with a deep nostalgic sadness, depressed, yet not alone, sad, yet happy, Harry was a curios mix of thing he was yet to understand. He dragged himself off his bed as he plonked down the stairs, living at the Weasley's had its many advantage, most of all Ginny. He raced down the stairs, excited but for a moment, realising he was in love with Ginny and she made him want to be. She made him feel alive, and she made him feel like himself, not some fake celebrity, it was always her who could bring him back down to earth and that was why he knew what he had to do.

When he finally got down to the kitchen he looked around, seven curious faces peered back at him. Seated at the table were Mr and Mrs Weasley, Ron and Hermione, Ginny and Fred and Professor McGonagall.

"Pleasure to see you once again Mr Potter, would you care to have a seat."

"Of course Professor, I mean headmistress."

"Don't be silly potter, Professor is fine."

Great! He knew what was coming; now he couldn't escape.

"As you are aware Harry, Hogwarts last year was not what we would call productive, we did try our best to ensure students learnt things in the difficult circumstances, but there was significant disruption felt. We were able to pass very few students, and therefore this year most will be repeating, we feel this to be a necessary process. Your friend Ginny here was one of three sixth years to be placed up and granted to begin her seventh year, very well done to you Ginny."

Ginny smiled sheepishly, and Harry was so surprised he even managed a smile, his Ginny, well done to her.

"So as you can see Potter this year will see a huge number of first years, the year levels will be crowded and we do not want to turn anyone away after the circumstances upon which the entire community have been through, education is paramount. That being said I have heard through some reliable sources that you do not wish to return to Hogwarts as a student, am I correct in saying this?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Good, very well I have something I would like to ask of you."

Harry was now unsure as to what she was after, he was so confused and puzzled, clearly his thoughts had become transparent.

"I know this must confuse you, but what I want to ask of you is something nobody has ever done before, it is something I, myself am hesitant in doing. What I want from you Harry is to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts."

Harry laughed, she was joking right? That was the silliest thing he had ever heard, yet it also scared him, because he knew that there was still a need for the dark arts to be taught.

"You're not joking are you?"

"No Mr Potter I am not. This is serious, and we have a serious shortage of capable people. With so many death eaters now in Azkaban and others not being qualified or going into hiding, those who we would have once asked to teach this course are in hiding, in prison or dead."

It now all started to make sense, perhaps Harry could become a Professor and do what Dumbledore did and teach the students. Maybe he could turn this horrible dread feeling he had been experiencing into a positive.

"You seriously want Harry to teach a class of students his age?"

Hermione was as shocked as Harry was, he could sense her annoyance, she was the bright one after all.

"Yes, I believe Harry to be one of the most equipped, sure he is not an auror but the experience he has gained over the past seven years fighting Voldemort will be invaluable to Hogwarts and its students."

Harry's head was spinning, surely she was kidding, surely this was a dream, he pinched his skin, soft at first and then harder, nope, he was definitely awake.

"What about the curse?"

"What curse?"

"The curse Voldemort placed on the position so nobody could hold it for more than a year."

"Harry all curses are broke once the wizard who cast them dies, you would know that if you read Magical Spells and Incantations Edition 6, by Romulus Grim." Exclaimed Hermione, much to the entire rooms delight.

Perhaps this time, these years after Voldemort could be well and good after all.

"Well, Harry?"

"Um…what about the Minister for Magic? The ministry, how do they feel about my appointment?"

Harry knew that a new minister had yet to be appointed, but he was sure that the ministry would not allow Harry to be the teacher, even after everything that had occurred in the past year.

"Why don't you ask him yourself," Professor McGonagall said.

"Well I would but I am unsure as to who holds the position, I was under the impression that there was no new minister yet."

The room was very quite.

"What is going on? I feel like I have walked into some sort of weird new home, are you guys under some sort of spell?"

They all laughed.

"Harry, mate, Dad's been made minister."

It was as though Harry's body could finally relax, after all these years with dodgy ministers who only wanted to use Harry for some sort of personal gain, Harry could finally be free, Mr Weasley would make a great minister.

"Congratulations Mr Weasley, that is wonderful news, I could not think of a better man for the job."

"Thank-you Harry, it means a lot, and for goodness sakes please call me Arthur. I must say it did take a lot of persuading on the ministry's behalf, I was not interested, nope, I just wanted to go back to the muggle department, but they insisted, offering me the power to work from home, and a few more galleons to boot," Arthur smiled at Molly who was grinning from ear to ear.

"My Arthur, minister, I am so proud."

This was the best news Harry had heard in a long time, but now there was the ever present need to make a decision.

"So Arthur, is Harry permitted to attend Hogwarts, not as a student, but as a teacher of the dark arts?"

"Of course, we think it is a wonderful idea, even if it's not what you want to do Harry my boy, it will at least give you something to take your mind off recent events. We know it has been hard on you, we know that there are things we cannot do to make you forget the past, but it is over now, you are alive and well, Voldemort is dead, we can say his name without fear of retribution and death."

Harry knew at that moment how he had been, he knew that for the past three months he had been a horrible person to be around, he knew that he had put the Weasley's through hell and back, because he was being stubborn and choosing to suffer alone. Not even Ginny had dared attempt to puncture the thinly veiled walls of silence Harry had put up, she had tried and in the end she had given up, instead she sat there with him, while he did not say a thing and she watched him and held him and was there for him. He remembered his original intention when he had come down the stairs, what he had wanted to ask.

"I'll accept Professor; I will do what I can. I'm not going to pretend that I know everything, or that I will even be able to teach them well, but I will do my best."

"Very good Potter, Professor Potter, it has a ring doesn't it? I'm sure Peeves is not going to be too happy about your appointment, he might have to pay you some respect. Another thing Potter, since I am now headmistress, the head of house position is left open, I am hoping as a former Gryffindor you would happily oblige?"

Head of house, Professor, what could be next, Harry's mind was full of crazy ideas and impossible situations turning into realities.

"Well I must be off, plenty to do before the new semester starts."

As McGonagall left the others looked up at him, waiting for him to say something, anything, he didn't know what they wanted, he had said yes, he still wasn't sure why.

"So Professor Potter, now what?"

Harry could tell that Hermione was slightly agitated, it wasn't his fault, he didn't ask to be made a Professor. All these months of wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his life now that Voldemort was dead, now seemed foolish and insignificant, Harry knew it was stupid to have just blocked everyone out and now he had to face up to that fact.

"I don't know, look Mr Weasley…Arthur can we have a word?"

They all looked at Harry like he was speaking in some kind of weird tongue.

"Of…of…of course Harry, please excuse me Molly."

Ginny looked at Harry, puzzled. He knew he was acting strangely; he didn't need anybody to tell him that.

As he got up she grabbed his arm, she lent down and kissed his hand, patted it and then let go, she didn't say a thing. The feelings that Harry had been feeling all through sixth year had now been ignited like a fire breathing dragon, some sort of beast was inside him, egging him on, trying to make him do more, but he just smiled at her and walker towards the Weasley's lounge. Harry was trying to prepare himself for what he was going to say, how he was going to approach it, there was no easy way out of it.

**What is Harry going to tell Arthur, find out next chapter? Let me know what you think, this is my first attempt, I started one yesterday and I think I liked it slightly better but it was lost.

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	2. Chapter 2

"Harry, what is it?"

Harry was unsure how he was going to approach this issue; he already knew how hard it was for the Weasley's to allow Hermione to live with them. It was different for her though, she had no where else. Her parents memories were still erased, she had tried to locate them in Australia, and had, had some success but she decided that it was best to leave things, knowing that reversing a memory charm was difficult, even for her.

"Well Mr Weasley, the reason why I hesitated when it came to accepting the position as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was in part due to my relationship with Ginny."

Harry gulped, he was dreading what he was about to say next.

"Now, I know that I have not been the best person to be around these past few months, I know that I have been distant and non communicative. But, Mr Weasley…"

"Harry, Arthur, please?"

"Arthur, I…I really care for Ginny. I couldn't have imagined going through the whole Voldemort saga without her, what I am trying to say is that I want to be with Ginny, on a more permanent basis."

Permanent basis, what was she a job? Harry could not believe how he had gone about telling Mr Weasley about the feelings he had for his daughter, it was bad enough that he had bumbled around calling him Mr Weasley and minister.

"Harry, Harry look at me."

Harry looked up, his glasses slipping from his nose, pushing them back quickly he saw Mr Weasley smiling.

"Harry, you have been for the best part of these past 7 or so years a son to me. I know you; I know how hard these past few months have been on you. What I also know is that Ginny cares for you a great deal, and I know you care for her in the same way. She has loved you for years, and you her. It may have taken a war and some silly teenage dramas but you got there my boy. I give you my permission. I give you it with love and I welcome you to our family. Harry you are in many ways more than a son, you saved our world, brought happiness here once more. You gave Ron a best friend, and you gave Ginny your heart. And, Harry you do have heart, that is what makes you so special."

Mr Weasley lent over and patted Harry on the back, before quickly embracing him. Harry, who once would have felt awkward and unsure, felt relieved and satisfied. He knew Mr Weasley was being honest, and he knew now that he had a far biggest task ahead of him.

"Mr Weasley, I know you want me to call you Arthur, but it will always be Mr Weasley, I am sorry."

"No harm Harry, no harm."

"I just wanted to check about the whole student, professor relationship. How will the school and indeed the ministry feel about this?"

"Harry, I think under the circumstances it will be tolerated and allowed. For one you are still technically a student."

"I am?"

"Yes, Professor McGonagall thought it best I tell you this, but Harry, the last condition of this post is to ensure you complete your education, so when you are not teaching you will be studying. So in essence you are a student to an extent. Also, you have been dating Ginny for the past few years, a fact that must be considered. You did not prey on her in a position of authority, you never would. So fear not, everything will be fine."

"Yes, great, I see, thank you Mr Weasley."

They shook hands and Harry watched Mr Weasley leave, he needed a minute to get himself together. He was slightly annoyed that they had managed to manipulate him into going back to Hogwarts, while he knew he should he did not like feeling pressured, Hogwarts without Dumbledore without Snape even would be a weird and different place. He was not at all sure how his friends would handle him being their teacher. Some had moved on, some were lucky enough to graduate. Malfoy wouldn't be there, he was serving a six month sentence in Azkaban. Harry hoped he had learnt his lesson.

So many death eaters had gotten away still, he knew there were those who wanted his head, who wanted Harry killed, but, for the most part they were happy to be finally relinquished from Voldemort's grasp. Harry understood now, that most who had joined Voldemort's army had been those who needed a leader, those who were too weak to find their own lives and be their own people. He felt sorry for them in some ways, yet there was always going to be that internal bitterness, that on the occasion bubbled to the surface. He thought of Bellatrix who had killed Sirius, to his lost parents, to Dumbledore, to Hedwig and Dobby. In the end it all came back to one person and that one person was dead, finally dead. Now what? What was Harry supposed to do now?

He turned to the doorway to see Ginny standing there, looking at him. She smiled one of her soft, kind and understanding smiles and went to walk away.

"No, wait." Harry urged.

"I need you here, I need to say some things, say I am sorry."

She shook her head, knowing that what he was saying was utter rubbish.

"No Harry, no apologies, I refuse to hear them, you went through so much, so much to get where you are and you saved our world, so no."

This was the way she was, the way she needed to be, Harry understood that.

"Ginny you might want to sit down."

Harry was still so unsure of what he was actually going to say, he didn't know really, had never thought of it until that morning.

"Harry I need to tell you something. Before you say what it is you want to say, it's important."

"Ginny I love you; I need to be with you for ever."

"Harry I am having a child."

Harry's mind went blank, he couldn't think, he couldn't function, 'a child', not 'our' child, or 'your' child. Come to think of it there was only one possible time when it could have been his child, maybe two, maybe three.

"I knew it would change everything, I knew you wouldn't be ready for a child." Ginny went to get up, Harry grabbed her arm.

"It's my child?"

"Of course it is your child. You know what, Harry you can go. Get out of my house."

"Ginny, I'm sorry I am just shocked; give me a chance to get used to the idea."

Ginny was now crying so hard, that Harry simply didn't know what to do.

He reached over and placed his hand on her stomach.

He didn't realise how much of an impact this would have on her.

"Oh Harry!" She cried, but he could tell she was happier.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you."

"Ginny, I am sorry, what I said was just my first thought, it wasn't a question of it being my child, more a statement, like 'it's my child'. I love you, I'll do everything to protect you, and now our child. I didn't realise how much you could be forced to grow up in one day."

Harry truly couldn't believe it, he was still technically in high school, yet he was a professor and he was about to become a father. Now he wanted to add husband to that list.

**Let me know if you are okay with the direction, I am a hopeless romantic. I hope I covered all the concerns people had with the first chapter.

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